All over the nation a Mama Bear Movement is on the rise, impacting the political landscape across America.  According to The Daily Citizen, “these moms are a diverse group of ordinary women motivated to protect their children from an aggressive and progressive agenda being pushed by special interest groups who believe they know what is best for all children.”

The movement gained momentum during the pandemic as moms began to ask questions about the school curriculum, reviewed books in the school library, and learned what was being taught in the classroom.  It became clear to those in the movement that schools “were promoting racist curriculum in the name of racial reconciliation, teaching sexually explicit and abusive material in the name of sexual tolerance, and willfully jeopardizing the safety of children at school in the pursuit of affirming the transgender movement.”

So, Mama Bears all over the country, “motivated by the instinctual need to protect their children…began to courageously push back at school board meetings, write op-eds for local papers, speak at rallies, and organize protests, all the while refusing to be silenced.  It remains to be seen if this will be a lasting movement.” 

I, for one, admire the Mama Bears. It seems they have been encountering deeply entrenched practices and policies, and are also creating a ruckus, for the National School Board Association even asked the Department of Justice for help, fearing that Mama Bears could be “domestic terrorists.” Can you imagine this taking place in America?  Goodness, these are Mama Bears watching out for their cubs.  I submit to you, men, that should the DOJ enlist the FBI to investigate Mama Bears, we are in a real battle for who has final authority in our families.

I pray that Dads reading this blog will say, “enough is enough.”  We need fathers and grandfathers to stand up and fight for their families alongside the Mama Bears.  If there was a parade to protest the intrusion of the state into the family, I hope there would be Papa Bears marching in the front showing the same passion as the Mama Bears. 

We are to defend and protect our families.  Scripture is clear: children are a gift from God given to parents to raise under the Lordship of Jesus and his kingdom. “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.  Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.  How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!” (Ps. 127:3-5a NLT). 

Deut. 6:4-9 and Exodus 20:12 are devoted to family. Indeed, the fourth commandment is the one commandment with a promise: “Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” The implication is undeniable.  When family life is neglected, it will not go well – period.  The breakup of the family means culture crumbles. Repairing the family as an institution is not the task of the state or any other institution. 

The family is the basic building block of human community.  Proverbs repeats in various ways the need for instruction of children.  For example: “My son, keep your father’s commands, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching… For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the correction of discipline are the way of life” (Prov. 6:20, 23).    

I encourage fathers to wholeheartedly join the Mama Bears.  We could use some strong, passionate Papa Bears standing on the frontlines of the battle for the family.  Remember it is a battle.  They are coming for our children.